Sentence in absentia for aiding terrorism upheld against Stavropol resident Denis Mamedov

The military court of appeal upheld the sentence to 16 years of imprisonment for aiding and abetting terrorism pronounced against Denis Mamedov, a former official from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in Stavropol. The above information has been reported by the “OVD-Info”* human rights project.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that natives of Stavropol Denis Mamedov and Maria Mamedova, who left Russia, were accused of spreading fake news about the Russian Army and were put on the wanted list. In April, Denis Mamedov was found guilty and sentenced in absentia to 8.5 years of imprisonment in a penal colony. Cases on aiding and abetting terrorism were also brought against Denis Mamedov and Maria Mamedova. On June 27, on the above-mentioned charge, Maria Mamedova was sentenced in absentia to 14 years and Denis Mamedov – to 16 years of imprisonment. In July, Maria Mamedova was sentenced in absentia for a second time, eight years of imprisonment on the charge of spreading fakes about the Russian Army.

After the start of mobilization, Maria Mamedova, who worked as a human resources specialist at the Ministry of Justice’s forensic centre, was asked to organize a fundraiser for the Russian militaries. Maria Mamedova refused to organize the fundraiser and claimed that she did not support the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine. The young woman was subjected to pressure, and in October 2022, she and her husband decided to leave Russia for the United States. After leaving, the couple posted pacifist materials on social networks.

*Included by the Russian Ministry of Justice (MoJ) into the register of foreign agents.